Neil DeCarlois the Vice President of Publishing for Breakthrough Management Group (BMG). The co-author of Insourcing Innovationand Six Sigma for Dummies, hes written or edited seven books and more than 200 articles on business excellence and related methodologies, and has worked for a wide range of companies, including GE and AT&T. Breakthrough Management Groupis a leading provider of training and consulting in the areas of Lean Six Sigma, Total Performance Excellence, and innovation. BMG works with leading companies around the globe to "in-source" new core competencies. Headquartered in Longmont, Colorado, BMG has a loyal clientele that exceeds 200 active businesses in biotechnology,… health care, finance, telecommunications, manufacturing, energy, and other industries. The firm has more than 100 consultants and trainers located in 12 offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.bmgi.com.
Natalie J. Sayer began studying and applying Lean before it was formally known as Lean. Over her 20-year career in the automotive industry in the United States and Mexico, Natalie honed her skills applying Lean and Organizational Development methods across functional areas of Fortune 130 companies. In 1996, Natalie was an instrumental team member in the Lean transformation of a GM facility in Matamoros, Mexico. The team was awarded the 1996 GM President's Council Honors for the project. While working with General Motors, she had multiple opportunities to visit and learn from New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI). Natalie has trained, coached, mentored, and rolled up her sleeves to… implement Lean practices, whether working in a company or volunteering at a food bank. She received a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Dayton in 1988 and a Master of Manufacturing Systems Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1992. She is a graduate of Coach University and Corporate Coach University. Natalie is also a Six Sigma Black Belt and a Global Leadership Executive Coach. In 2003, Natalie founded I-Emerge, an Arizona-based global consultancy dedicated to the facilitation of people and processes experiencing significant change. The I-Emerge toolbox includes executive and personal coaching, group facilitation, Lean methods, public speaking, and Organizational Development tools and assessments. She is a passionate people person, who lives her life with the convictions that "there is always a better way" and "change won't happen without the people."Bruce Williams strives for perfection and added value as a scientist, educator, consultant, and entrepreneur. Leveraging the Lean principle of standardized work, this is his third For Dummies book in three years, having previously coauthored the best-selling Six Sigma For Dummies in 2005 and the Six Sigma Workbook For Dummies in 2006. Undergraduate degrees in physics and astrophysics from the University of Colorado testify to his early pursuit of understanding the ultimate nature of root cause.
Stephen R. Covey was born on October 24, 1932, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He married Sandra Merrill and had nine children. Covey received a B.A. from University of Utah, an M.B.A. from Harvard, and a D.R.E. from Brigham Young University. He was a teacher and administrator at BYU. Covey founded Covey Leadership Center in 1983 and has published a periodical, Executive Excellence. Covey authors books and articles on leadership, personal and organizational effectiveness, and family and interpersonal relationships. He promotes individual awareness, self-control, discipline, and a sense of purpose in seeking a balanced life. He recommends that companies treat employees more holistically to raise… productivity. His works have been widely translated. His best known book is Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, first published in 1989, which has sold several million copies. Other Covey books include: Principle Centered Leadership (1991), First Things First: to Live, to Love, to Learn, and to Leave a Legacy (1994), Daily Reflections for Highly Effective People, First Things First Every Day Because Where You're Headed Is More Important Than How Fast You're Going (1997), The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families, and Seven Habits of Highly Effective Organizations. Covey received the Thomas More College Medallion and the Utah Symphony Fiftieth Anniversary Award in 1990, and the McFeely Award of the International Management Council for contributions and service in 1991.